Holy crap! We started out on this hike with no real expectations just to discover a mind-blowing area. We agreed to move to Las Vegas during this hike just so we can have better access to quality winter hiking. After the peak we explored Pinto Valley searching for the petroglyphs which we did not find and then hiked up the southwest peak 3123' of Northshore, hiking out in the dark. This was part of a 21 day hiking road-trip with Heather. Other peaks we did on this trip include:

Hiked this one with Rex Sanders from the unimproved camping site along Boathouse Cove Road one mile from Northshore Road. There were plenty of game trails to follow and it took us 2.5 hours in and 2.25 hours out. We never got very close to the westerly peak with the rocky spire next to it.

Had an absolutely excellent day climbing Sentinel with Harlan, who expertly guided us up via the rampy northeast canyon and eastern ridge to the velcro-rock summit and down via the fun red rock canyon to the west. One of my favorite desert ascents so far!

Enjoyed the variety and color of all the rock formations in Cleopatra wash, which we did after Northshore peak. The numerous dryfalls were fun, even the huge ones we had to detour around. Missed the exit to the right to see the cove the first time.

Hiked this with SP member lcarreau. He stopped 1 km. short of the summit and let me have the summit to myself. This was my first time up Hamblin Mountain and served as a good rehab hike for my healing fibula I broke 7 weeks earlier. I have visited much of the immediate vicinity many times over the years. In the 70's I hiked with my dad and some of his boy scouts from Callville Wash south to Rufus Cove on Lake Mead (Class IV to V climbing in places). I've traversed Pinto Valley half a dozen times and visited Sandstone Spring at least 4 to 5 times. I've been a good ways up Sentinel Peak to the upper source of Sandstone Spring. Another time I traversed Pinto Ridge and hiked the valley west to east that lies between Razorback Ridge and Pinto Ridge.